1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a door lock system for allowing a user to lock and unlock a door of a vehicle by operating an operation unit provided on an outer surface of the door.
2. Description of Related Art
In a vehicle, a door lock system for locking or unlocking a door of the vehicle when a user carrying a vehicle key assigned to the vehicle performs a pressing operation, a touch operation or the like in an operation unit provided on an outer surface of the door of the vehicle, that is, what is called a smart entry system, is installed (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2011-58329). The operation unit of the door lock system is provided, for example, in the vicinity of a door handle used for opening/closing the door, and may be provided in the vicinity of door handles of all the doors of the vehicle in some cases.
Besides, in a vehicle using a sliding door as a rear seat door, a door lock system capable of not only performing a door locking/unlocking operation but also automatically performing a closing/opening operation of the sliding door when a user performs an operation in an operation unit provided on the sliding door may be installed. In using this door lock system, for example, if a user performs an operation in the operation unit provided on the sliding door when the doors of the vehicle are locked, the doors of the vehicle are unlocked, and thereafter, an opening operation of the sliding door is performed (namely, the sliding door is opened). Alternatively, if the user performs an operation in the operation unit provided on the sliding door when the sliding door is opened, a closing operation of the sliding door is performed (namely, the sliding door is closed), and thereafter, the doors of the vehicle are locked.